Changes

Leadbeater himself, like Mathew, had much earlier been an Anglican priest. James Wedgwood then re-ordained Leadbeater “conditionally” through all steps up to the priesthood, then consecrated him as Regionary Bishop for Australasia. During the formative years of their church Leadbeater built a firm base in Sydney, while Wedgwood traveled at intervals in New Zealand, the United States and the United Kingdom, in each of these countries establishing new centers, and ordaining suitable candidates for Holy Orders. Wedgwood was seen as an inspiring ceremonialist and speaker, and as an effective organizer. Wedgwood and Leadbeater then prepared an entire liturgy of services, with frequent recourse to their self-proclaimed capacities of extra-sensory perception in order to evaluate their intuitive sense of the effects of their liturgical innovations in the “inner worlds.” Possibly Wedgewood's most lasting contribution, however, is in the liturgy to which he was the primary contributor, revealing a gift for language of a very high order. To Leadbeater, Wedgwood accorded the credit for the careful “supersensory observations” which guided their joint efforts. However, their actual principal models were current Roman Catholic rituals of worship in the ''[[Rituale Romanum]]'', but they wrote in English, and in a style almost identical to the Anglican ''[[Book of Common Prayer]]''. Copies of parts of their revisions of liturgical forms, and especially of the Holy Eucharist, had been circulating in the growing Liberal Catholic community from as early as 1917. The Liberal Catholic Church liturgy was officially published in 1919. In this respect it must be pointed out that although Wedgwood may not have had “the extraordinary powers of his colleague”, his own observations were by no means commonplace. He is now known to be the principal author of what have long been referred to as “the Kollerstrom Notes” in Leadbeater’s 1929 edition of his 1920 publication, ''The Science of the Sacraments''. It is firmly held by most Liberal Catholics that the founding bishops were inspired and guided in their building of the new Liturgy by Christ Himself. This is essentially the definition of divinely-inspired scripture. It is also widely acknowledged by them that these founders' use of capabilities of supersensory observation enabled them to arrange the various services to maximize the flow of spiritual power or grace, by the precisely exacting, [[Alchemy|spiritual alchemical]] forms of the “proper performance” of the rites of worship.  

Leadbeater himself, like Mathew, had much earlier been an Anglican priest. James Wedgwood then re-ordained Leadbeater “conditionally” through all steps up to the priesthood, then consecrated him as Regionary Bishop for Australasia. During the formative years of their church Leadbeater built a firm base in Sydney, while Wedgwood traveled at intervals in New Zealand, the United States and the United Kingdom, in each of these countries establishing new centers, and ordaining suitable candidates for Holy Orders. Wedgwood was seen as an inspiring ceremonialist and speaker, and as an effective organizer. Wedgwood and Leadbeater then prepared an entire liturgy of services, with frequent recourse to their self-proclaimed capacities of extra-sensory perception in order to evaluate their intuitive sense of the effects of their liturgical innovations in the “inner worlds.” Possibly Wedgewood's most lasting contribution, however, is in the liturgy to which he was the primary contributor, revealing a gift for language of a very high order. To Leadbeater, Wedgwood accorded the credit for the careful “supersensory observations” which guided their joint efforts. However, their actual principal models were current Roman Catholic rituals of worship in the ''[[Rituale Romanum]]'', but they wrote in English, and in a style almost identical to the Anglican ''[[Book of Common Prayer]]''. Copies of parts of their revisions of liturgical forms, and especially of the Holy Eucharist, had been circulating in the growing Liberal Catholic community from as early as 1917. The Liberal Catholic Church liturgy was officially published in 1919. In this respect it must be pointed out that although Wedgwood may not have had “the extraordinary powers of his colleague”, his own observations were by no means commonplace. He is now known to be the principal author of what have long been referred to as “the Kollerstrom Notes” in Leadbeater’s 1929 edition of his 1920 publication, ''The Science of the Sacraments''. It is firmly held by most Liberal Catholics that the founding bishops were inspired and guided in their building of the new Liturgy by Christ Himself. This is essentially the definition of divinely-inspired scripture. It is also widely acknowledged by them that these founders' use of capabilities of supersensory observation enabled them to arrange the various services to maximize the flow of spiritual power or grace, by the precisely exacting, [[Alchemy|spiritual alchemical]] forms of the “proper performance” of the rites of worship.  

===Protest and opposition===

===Protest and opposition===

The existing strength and established membership of the Theosophical Society were essential to the initial rapid growth of the Liberal Catholic Church. But protest and opposition arose in Australia and spread to the USA. On hearing that Leadbeater, [[rumor]]ed to be a notorious [[Pedophilia|paedophile]], had moved from India to Sydney, in Australia his long-time adversaries advised authorities there that an evil man had entered their jurisdiction. A police investigation was initiated with a view to gathering evidence against him. Then, a newspaper campaign directed scorn and innuendo at the new church and its leaders, fueled in part by Theosophical Society members hostile to the Liberal Catholic Church. There is also no established certain connection of Leadbeater with British [[Occult|occultist]] [[Aleister Crowley]], the founder of [[Thelema]], other than as a possible acquaintance. Police enquiries and press attacks continued intermittently for some years before the police stopped looking for evidence and the newspapers lost interest. Liberal Catholic Church membership remains small wherever its churches are found, yet it maintains a nominal presence in almost every country around the world.  

The existing strength and established membership of the Theosophical Society were essential to the initial rapid growth of the Liberal Catholic Church. But protest and opposition arose in Australia and spread to the USA. On hearing that Leadbeater, [[Defamation|rumor]]ed to be a notorious [[Pedophilia|paedophile]], had moved from India to Sydney, in Australia his long-time adversaries advised authorities there that an evil man had entered their jurisdiction. A police investigation was initiated with a view to gathering evidence against him. Then, a newspaper campaign directed scorn and innuendo at the new church and its leaders, fueled in part by Theosophical Society members hostile to the Liberal Catholic Church. There is also no established certain connection of Leadbeater with British [[Occult|occultist]] [[Aleister Crowley]], the founder of [[Thelema]], other than as a possible acquaintance. Police enquiries and press attacks continued intermittently for some years before the police stopped looking for evidence and the newspapers lost interest. Liberal Catholic Church membership remains small wherever its churches are found, yet it maintains a nominal presence in almost every country around the world.  

[[Walter Martin]]'s ''[[The Kingdom of the Cults]]'' lists the Liberal Catholic Church as a [[cult]].<ref>[https://believersweb.org/view.cfm?ID=587 Walter Martin, ''Kingdom of the Cults'', Part B]</ref>

[[Walter Martin]]'s ''[[The Kingdom of the Cults]]'' lists the Liberal Catholic Church as a [[cult]].<ref>[https://believersweb.org/view.cfm?ID=587 Walter Martin, ''Kingdom of the Cults'', Part B]</ref>